Automatic keyboard



June 16, 1936. w L E 2,044,754,

' AUTOMATIC KEYBOARD Filed Oct. 23, 1951 l1 Sheet Sheet 1 2 INVENTOR Z/8 A :9 M/vwranc c' 4 l V BY 7 I. Ma

ATTORNEY June 16, 1936. w. LAWRENCE 2,044,754

AUTOMATIC KEYBOARD Filed 001;. 23, 1931 ll Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 2.

IN V EN TOR. V @6 76 4 Lawrencemx W A TTORNEY June 16, 1936.

G. w. LAWRENCE AUTOMATIC KEYBOARD Filed 001:. 23. 1931 ll Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR. 422 76 M/awrenea,

paw 7474;;

- ATTORNEY Ju-ne 16,

AUTOMATIC KEYBOARD Filed Oct. 23, 1931 ll Sheets-Sheet 4 E ma ATTORNEYJune 16, 936- e. w. LAWRENCE AUTOMATIC KEYBOARD Filed Oct. 23. 1931 llSheets-Sheet 5 ea/ye hf. lea re eg- ATTORNEY June 16, G w LAWRENCEAUTOMATIC KEYBOARD Filed Oct. 23, 1931' 11 Sheets-Sheet 6 ii-Mugs. I

June 1936 G. w. LAWl QENCE I AUTOMATIC KEYBOARD ll Sheds-Sheet 7 Filed001:. 23, 1931 June 16, 1936. w LAWRENCE 2,044,754

AUTOMATIC KEYBOARD Filed Oct. 23, 1931 ll Sheets-$heet 8 I 5Q R Q UTM87650??? 65086: W M WEE/V65 A-Zlorneys.

1 1936- e. w. LAWRENCE 2,044,754

AUTOMATIC KEYBOARD Filed Oct. 23, 1931 ll Sheets-Sheet 9 F I I I June936- G. LAWRENCE 2,044,754

AUTOMATIC KEYBOARD Filed Oct. 23. 1931 11 Sheets-Sheet l0 Wei 12m-GEOEGEWMWNCE June 16, 1936- G. w. LAWRENCE AUTOMATIC KEYBOARD Filed Oct.23, 1931 11 Sheets-Sheet 11 J .w L Hfifi @I a mm u W4 m M @MA Rm mwm ww@ w w 5 Patentecl June 16, 1936- UNITED STATES AUTOMATIC KEYBOARDGeorge W. Lawrence, Los Angelea, Calm, as-

signor, by mesne assignments, to Postal Auto matio Machines, Inc., acorporation of Dela- Application October 23, 1931, Serial No. 570,622

v closed in a, co-pencling application Serial No. 367,

3?) to a register actuating mechanis 106, filed May 29, 1929, by WilliamJ. Pearson and titled Parcel post weighing and stamp printing machine,which machine is designed to weigh parcel post packages and to printparcel post stamps of the prepaid metered type.

An object of my invention is to provide a lzcy board of the simplestform and character to pro-= vicle ease and simplicity of operation anoper ator of an otherwise complicated r. i'sine, and

' wooed to that and clutches extension or the same mechanism o transfersthe mechanical equivalents of the so e members hash is operated toactuate the registers to register: the nu oers at the time that apririti'ng operation t movement user-a nism by succ sive positions 2111one movement transverseigg of original movement upon t tone on thekeyboard; also pros which must he set to o it may be rotated. one cocoso; on the keyco zi mail me Keys corresponding to re number to beormtecl has been o erateti, whee-o achlnc disclosed six, whereuponelement adjacent the power 011;. oil is release v the machine may be forprinting per-=- lcses. Should only five or seven keys be open atcd orany number other than the six required,

loo i 'th at the lock is not released and the machine must- Anotherobject of my invention is to provide a type of clutch connection betweenthe keys and the power driven elements of the clutches whereby instantoperation occurs at the touch of a key, and whichis simple inconstruction and durable. Various other objects and advantages will bemore fully apparent from the following descripticn of the accompanyingdrawings which form a part of this disclosure, and which illustrate apreferred form of embodiment of the invention.

Of the-drawings:

1 is a plan view portion of a parcel post machine, disclosing anautomatic keyboard and the connecting parts operated therefrom.

Fig. 2 is an elevation from the right of the keyboard and connecti artsoperated therefrom taken on line 3 is an elevatio board and connecting ualien on line 3-3 clutches the right in G- is a (hag-re show theoperation 7 is an elevation relation of the lzey'cov the register.controllec form, similar to 3.

Fig. 8 is a partial l lar to 55, the clutch cam.

'51 the left showing the id comlected. parts of only in diagrammaticflew of the tripping mechanism in dise position, taken ap mateiy on lineof Fig. 9 is a view similaz that of 8, show tripping mechan cs" oengaged position, 10 is a w similar to 7, he tripping chanism engageclby the ans and ill in dotted lines the 'lell" movement as is a sectionalor the selector unit,

the slide two positions, and.

' is asecti "a! v" n on line 2-E? M v v czoi carriage rnmatic plan Viewof a e clutch mechanism shown in nor ll clutch-cisengagecl position insolid lines, and in clutc ngaged position in broken lines.

grammatic side elevational view 2;; finger the clutch and itsconnections, teach on line lc-."Z of Fig. 13.

a. 15 is a transverse sectional view showing the keyioars and one oftheir connections to the selector unit taken approximately on line i55of Fig. i.

Fig. 16 is a semi-diagrammatic plan view of the selector unit, showingit in original and second position.

Fig. 17 is a similar view of the selector, showing it in an intermediatetransverse and e second longitudinal position.

Fig. 18 is a similar view of the selector ing it in final. transverseposition.

fig. 19 is an enlerged vertical sectional view of the elevators andselector, taken approximately on line lit-6Q of Fig. l. and showingsemidiagrmnmntlcally the means by which movement ot the selector arm,transmitted to the rack bars Gila, is also transmitted to the controlmeter.

29 is c detcll view of the connection hetween the numeral printer racksand the register rcclzs.

21 is a detail elevational view of the operative connection of the errorrocl; shaft with the main drive of the machine, illustrating the menusby which the reel; shaft is operated upon completion of m operationcycle of the machine.

Referring to Fig. l, which illustrates 9. portion of. a parcel postmachine, numel that section containing the keyboard and its connectedparts,

showwhlch operate to set up the desired combinations of figures forprinting and for registering in the registers, I will designate theindividual units by letters, the keyboard proper being A, the selectorE8, the progressive release lock C, the power clutch D, the register setup mechanism E, the control register F, and the indicator G.

The keylcoerd unit A comprises a set oi lreys 2t which operate torelease engaging latches 2i in individual clutches these clutchesincludes drive shott 28, to which are keyed toothed wheels 20 adapted toengage a corresponding tooth on the latch M, which latch is providedwith a projecting member 263 mapted to he engaged by the rocking arm Zlmounted on shaft 28, and engaged by one of the lreys at and tensioned bymeans of spring 3d. The clutch has a rotatable member in the form of acam Ell which revolves on the shaft 23 and which is provided with e, pin82 forming a fulcrum point for the latch El, which latch at the otherend is provided with e. slotted opening in which rides a pin 35,provided for limiting the movement of the latch 2i, and which is securedto the cam 3f], the latch 20 being 'tensioned toward an engaged positionwith the toothed wheel 251 by the spring 35, one end of which isfastened to the cam ill.

The corn face 36 of the cam ill is contacted by lever 37! secured to therock shaft 38, the lever Ell having a bifurcated section at its oppositeend to engage a pin 39 mounted in one end of a. bell crank it; the bellcranl; Ml being secured to the roclr. shaft il, its other end beingprovided with o pin 32 for engagement with the rocking arm 2'l wherebythe rotation of the clutch 22 and the corn ill will function to returnthe rocking-arm El to a. position in the path of the projecting member26 of latch 2i, and upon engagement of these two parts, will release thetooth 225 from engagement with the toothed wheel 26, thus releasing theclutch. The rotation of one cam rocks levers Bl and til and locks allthe keys 20 against depression during a clutch operation. 1

This form of clutch is provided for the purpose accuses rods engage theselector, and, when moved by levers Ell, through bellcranlrs 56c, effecta longitudinal movement of the selector (to the left in Fig. l).

For the proper operation of the selector, one of its members (selectorarm 8d) must he moved longitudinally a different distance for each ofthe numbers punched in on the keyboard.

To provide for this varied or differential move ment of the selector thebell cranlr. levers l lo are designed of such different proportions, andare so arranged, that they convert a, uniform movement in all of thelreyloars to varied (differential) movements in the several push rodsill. The recited edluststlelsupports 38 are provided with screw sectionsedjustobly mounted in the bridge support Gil, end having retaining locl:nuts 5511., the upper portion of the adjustable support 18 having abifurcated section 62 provided Each actuation of a key (except the errorkey Qila.) will therefore cause its connected actuating lever 565 toengage and rock the butterfiyfil, which, by means of connectionshereinafter described, actuates the progressive release loch C. Byrecson of the opening in the butterfly 66 directly beneath actuatinglever did the error lrey 28a may be operated for clearing the machinewithout rocking the butterfly lever 66 and consequently withoutactuating the progressive release lock C. For transmitting the movementfrom the lever 5%; to the error mechanism of the machine, I haveprovided a-roclrer arm 65 secured to an extending rocl: shaft 56,roclraloly mounted in the supports (ll and, by means of connections 68(Fig. 1) operating the error roclr shaft 5% which is part of the parcelpost machine referred to.

I Shaft is connected by a linkage 250 (Fig. 21) with a secondary rocl;shaft which has secured to it s lever arm 2 3i. Arm 2 3i is rocked byearn 2% on shaft lit at the completion of a printing operation.

The selector B comprises a supporting frame lll, having a cross memberIll and provided with roller bearings 718 on which the slidcloleselector carriage '52 travels in a longitudinal direction. Carriage isprovided with a guide roll or track :15 which slidingly supports theselector slide 14.

Secured to the upper portion or the slide it is a.

tion of the pawl is shown in Fig. 4 in solid lines; its free position,under tension of its spring 11a, is shown in dotted lines.

The selector slide M is adapted to travel with a movement transverse tothe travel of the carriage 12. In the operation of the machine theselector arm 80 is positioned successively oppo site each of the seriesof parallel numeral wheel rack bars 80a in order to engage the end of arack bar and move it longitudinally when the selector arm is movedlongitudinally. The escapement teeth and the spring-tensioned pawl T!are so arranged as to permit the selector slide It to travel with a stepby step transverse movement under tension of the spring 8|, connected atone end to arm Bla of slide ill and at its opposite end to a fixed arm81b.

The escapement operation occurs upon the carriage 12 being movedlongitudinally (to the left in Fig. l, and at right angles to themovement of slide 14 on track 15 in Fig. 4) by which movement the tooth'13 then in contact with pawl 11 is moved out of contact therewith. PawlI1 is thus allowed to move to its dotted line position under the tensionspring IIa. At the start of the longitudinal movement of the carriagethe tooth 16 is released from pawl 11 and during the remainder of suchlongitudinal movement rides on the face of the guide plate 19. The pawl17, upon being released, is moved to its broken line position 'l'lb byits tension spring 11a. Upon the return movement of the carriage by itstension springs 32a (Figs. 3 and 11) the tooth 16 which was formerlyengaged by pawl Tl returns to its former position, but, having left theguide rail and being no longer engaged by the pawl H (see Fig. 11), ismomentarily unrestrained. While in this condition slide "iii, by thepull of its spring iii, is caused to move transversely (to the left inFig. 4) until the next succeeding tooth it picks up and engages pawl itin its dotted line position. The continued movement of slide M by spring85 carries pawl N with it until the pawl is brought into contact withstop 19a.

When thus brought to its solid line position, pawl ll, contacting thetooth next to the one it contacted before the longitudinal ,movement ofthe carriage, holds the slide in place for the next successive positionof the selector arm 80 opposite the corresponding one of the rack bars.

This operation repeats itself automatically at each actuation of .thekeyboard until the predetermined number of keys have been manipulated,at which time the last rack bar of the group will have been actuated andthe set-up completed.

When the machine is cleared and re-set, the selector slide 14, which istensioned for escapement travel by means of spring 8|, is returned toits original position (shown in Fig. 4) by a finger 82 secured on shaft69, which is part of the error mechanism controlled by error key a.

In the return transverse movement of slide 14 (to the right in Fig. 4),the teeth 16 drag across the top of pawl 17 and force it down to aposition to the right of the dotted line position in Fig. 4, so that itclears each tooth as it passes over it. In the return movement the lasttooth is carried a sufiicient distance past the pawl 11 to permit thepawl to return to its upright (dotted line position), whereupon theselector slide 14, under its spring tension, will move back slightly topermit one of its teeth to pick up the pawl 11, and the slide and pawlwill together settle back to a position where the pawl rests against thestop 19a,

thus positioning the selector arm 80 in front of the first of the groupof rack bars which actuate the numeral wheels.

In order to provide direct positive connection between the numeralwheels of the printing mechanism (not shown) and the respective parts ofthe register actuating mechanism E, the numeral wheel racks, which aresuccessively engaged by selector arm 80, are directly connected, by bars3!!! and links 355 (Fig. 20) to the register rack bars M, which slide intracks 83 in cross member H and engage pinions 84a,.secured to shaftsMb. These parts function to set up in the register set-up mechanism Ethe monetary values originated by operation of the keyboard A.

Each manipulation of the keyboard A, comprising the depression of a keyduring the setting upoperation, moves the carriage 12 in itslongitudinal path (to the left in Figs. 1 and 12) an amount equivalentto the number of the key depressed; upon the return of the carriage 12to its starting position by springs 12a the selector slide 14automatically moves transversely a distance of onetooth, and thereforemoves the selector arm 80 into position to contact the next succeedingrack bar 80a; the repetition of this escapement movement in the settingup operation finally brings the selector slide 74 to the limit of itstransverse movement, as shown by broken lines in Fig. 11. The selectorslide 14 is tensioned in this movement by means of the spring 85; thecarriage i2 is given its return movement from contacting the rack bars80a by means of the tension springs 712a.

The progressive movements of the selector slide 7 3 are illustrateddiagrammatically in Figs. 16, 17 and 18, wherein three positions of theselector arm 8&3 are illustrated. In Fig. 16 the selector slide H 1 andthe arm tiil are in their original starting positions. For an example ofthe longitudinal movement or" the carriage i2 when a key is depressed inthe keyboard I have illustrated in broken lines in this figure thepositions assumed by the various moving parts of the selector when thekey bearing the numeral I is depressed in the keyboard A.

A difierent position of the selector slide 14 and the arm Bil isillustrated in Fig. 17, where the arm'is positioned in front of thefourth rack bar of the group 80a. To illustrate the longitudinalmovement of the carriage I2 upon actuation of another key of thekeyboard I have illustrated by broken lines the positions assumed by themoving parts of the selector when the key bearing the numeral 5 isdepressed on the keyboard A.

The final positions assumed by the selector slide 14 and the selectorarm 80 are illustrated in Fig. 18, wherein the selector arm 80 ispositioned in front of the sixth rack bar of the group 80a. This figurealso shows in broken, lines the positions assumed by the moving parts ofthe selector when the key bearing the numeral 9 of the keyboard A hasbeen depressed.

The progressive release lock unit C is composed of elements actuated bythe butterfly 64 to rotate an actuating element which with a step bystep G progression movement releases a locking element normally engagedto retain the power clutch D in disengaged relation. From the butterfly64 there are extending connections 85 to rock shaft 86 rockably mountedin bearings 81 and having 92, the said arm having mounted on it a springtensloned pawl 52o. adapted to engage the teeth oi the ratchet wheel andthereby rotate this wheel in a counter-clockwise direction in Fig. 2.The ratchet wheel is provided on one face with two pins ti l which, whenrotated, en gage alock actuating member E sliclably mounted in bearing96 and which functions to slide the lock ill in and out of engagementwith a bell crank 98, said lock being slidably connected to trip 95which normally engages pin will on clutch sleeve shaft ml which is apart of the clutch D. The ratchet wheel is provided with a nonreverseelement comprising a spring-tensioned pawl I162, for engagement with theratchet teeth to prevent reverse action of the ratchet wheel throughdrag of the pawl 92a.

The printing operation is instituted by means of control key M5 on thekeyboard. This control key operates the power clutch D, which is alsocontrolled by the progressive release loci; C. The control key will notcause the actuation of the printing mechanism unless the power clutch isin released (unlocked) position, with the latch or trip iii out oflocking engagement with pin I 08 on clutch sleeve shaft Hill. The trip@9 is released only when the depression. of six keys on the keyboard hasrotated ratchet wheel and its attached pins Ell- I to a position inwhich the lock-actuating member so is in engagement with one of the pinsto be moved thereby. Tins relative position of the parts is establishedonly when the ratchet wheel has been rotated to the positioncorresponding to the actuation of six seys. If a seventh key isdepressed before the control key is operated, the ratchet wheel will berotated correspondingly farther, carrying with it the pin which was inengagement with member which pin slips past and out of the path of themember to, which member, being unrestrsined by pin or, is restored toits normal locking position by its spring, the locking movement ofmember 95 replacing trip to lock pin fltfil. The same situation existswhen the machine is cleared by operation. oi error hey El -o. Forfurther details of operation oi this feature of the machinereference-may be made to the patent to William J. Pearson, 1,958,925,issued'May 15, 1934.

For the purpose of returning the progressive release lock to originalposition regardless of the position to which it may have been actuatedduring the course of manipulation of the keyboard, I have providedcertain connections which pick up the rotating elements of the lock andreturn them to an original position, upon operation of the error key29a, and also upon the completion of a printing operation of the parcelpost machine, which has elements, not shown, for

rocking the error rock shaft 6% with a movement identical to thatoccurring when the error key 20a is depressed. This return mechanismcomprises a rock arm H26 seciu-edto rock shaft 69 and connected to oneend of a rack bar W5 which is supported adjoining its other end byroller I 06 mounted in one of the bearings 92; the rack teeth ll ofrackbar its engage a pinion I08 mounted on a sleeve shaft, not shown, towhich is secured a disc Hi9 provided with two ratchet pawls IIII!adapted to engage internal teeth III in the rotating member H2, which issecured to the lock shaft 98; the rotating member II2 rotates the shaft9! and also the ratchet wheel 93 which is secured to this shaft in acounter-clockwise direction, in Fig. 2'. Upon the ace-eves rotation ofthe ratchet wheel the pins Qt are rotated out of contact with the lochmember $35 to the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, allowinglock member to return to normal position as shown in Fig. 2, by dottedlines.

The clutch D, which is the power clutch disposed between the power shaftM3 and the drive shaft l M for operating the various operative elementsof the machine, is of the type known as a pin clutch, the directconnection between the driving and driven elements being made by meansof a pin.

In the operation of the clutch D the operator of the machine depressesthe control key M5, which, through its connections M6, Mtg, Mob,operates the trip i l l, moving it out of engagement with the pin Millcarried by the slidable sleeve shaft lfili.

Assuming that a proper set-up hasbeen made in the machine andconsequently that the trip ill) has been removed from pin Hill, therelease of the trip ill will allow the clutch to engage. The slidableshaft not will move axially under'actuation of spring Mil; this movementof shaft iili, through the sliding connection between pin M9 on shaftBill and arm H20, will move arm 026 into the path of the rocking fingerill). The finger 02s is actuated by means of the cam H26, secured to theclutch drive shaft H25, which, being gearconnected to the source oi.power through shaft the notch Hill in arm ill, moving the latterlongitudinally (upwardly in Fig. l) to the limit of the movementpermitted by the pin M9 in slot ill and thereby rocking the connectedbell crank I and the link 8277, which is pivotally connected by pin 29ato the bell crank. This movement of link 0217 (to the left in Fig. 1)causes the clutch to engage, the link being connected for this purposeto hell crank lever I128 which is in turn connected to the driven member029 of the clutch, which is slidably mounted upon and keyed to thesleeve shaft lit. The clutch member I129 has a pin l'li-l which engageswith the driving element filth of the clutch, which is secured to thedrive shaft 425 and rotates continuously.

When the clutch is thus engaged, movement is transmitted from the powershaft i it to shaft G25, through clutch elements not" and H29 to sleeveshaft I12, on which the element 129) is mounted; a gear 3:: on thesleeve shaft meshes with and drives gear wheel I3I, keyed to the maindrive shaft I I4 of the machine.

In order to disengage the clutch upon the completion of one completerevolution of the drive shaft Ill, the gear wheel iii is providedpn oneside with a cam I32, which is adapted to contact the slidable shaft IOIand move it axially to return it to itsoriginal position, thus restoringthe pin I 00 to the'position at which it will be contacted and held inlocked position by both the latch 99 and the latch Ill. In its returnaxial movement slidable shaft IM carries with it the arm I2I, returningthe arm to its original position out of the path of the cam-actuatedfinger I23, and simultaneously moves into the path of finger I23 the armI22, by reason of the engagement otpin I20 on shaft ISlI in theslot I'Mof arm in Fig. 3.

bell crank lever I28 and the link 12? to which it is connected. Thismovement of link I21 (to the right in Fig. 1) pulls the driven clutchelement 128 and its pin I13 away from the driving element I30, thusdisengaging the clutch and leaving the various parts in the properposition for the next clutch engaging operation.

The form of clutch mechanism disclosed is for the purpose of providing apositive single rotation clutch mechanism wherein a clutch may bedisengaged at a. predetermined point in its cycle of operation.

The register set up unit E is interposed be tween the keyboard mechanismand the registers for the purpose of providing a means of clearing fromthe machine a set-up made through the.

keyboard, which may be incorrect, and which it may be desired to preventbeing registered in the registers. This mechanism comprises twocomponent parts, namely, the elements which are moved into a positionwhereby they represent the mechanical equivalent of numbers originatingin the keyboard, and a second portion of the mechanism comprisingactuating elements for conveying these mechanical equivalents into theregisters.

As best shown in Fig. 3, the recited slide members 84 through theirconnections I33, actuate connecting gears 84a, and through them rackbars H6, each of which is connected by a pin IT! engaged in a slot 178to one of a set of so called elevators, of which there is disclosed inFig. 3 one elevator i534, namely, the elevator for conveying themechanical equivalent of dollars. Through these connections, when one ofthe keys is depressed, the elevator lii l is moved differentially andselectively in a lateral direction to a position where one of the steps635 corresponding to the number of the depressed key is brought into aposition directly below the foot of the rack bar I36, and held thereuntil the printing operation takes place in the machine, at which time,driven shaft it'll is actuated. This shaft is gearrelated to the drivenshaft H4, and has secured to it cams 13B, of, which one resides beneatheach of the elevators. Upon actuation of the shaft H31,

' the cam H38 is rotated to contact the elevator 5%,

thereby raising it vertically, and the recited step 135 coming intocontact with the foot of the rack bar 136 raises the rack bar with it torotate the connected shaft I39 which in turn, through its connections,actuates the dollars wheel in the register F to register the amount setup.

A corresponding movement occurs through.

connecting gears I40 and rack Ml to indicator wheels I42, of which theone indicating the dollars amount would have been set up by thisoperation. The set up mechanism E comprises three sets of the elementsjust described, which complete the required mechanism to set up figurescomposed of dollars, tens of cents, and cents; these various parts areidentical to each other both in structure and operation and are merelyduplicates of the parts described and disclosed This device is fullydisclosed in a copending application filed October 23, 1931, Serial No.570,620.

My machine also includes an element whereby the parcel post machine maybe controlled in its operations, as far as the monetary amount of stampsutilized is concerned, and will meet the requirements of the Post OmceDepartment that a machine using or issuing metered mail stamps must beprovided with a register which can be set for a pre-determin'ed amountof postage by the post master, and which, upon the exhausting of thatpre-set amount of. postage will lock the machine against furtheroperation, until the register has again been set for another amount. 5

Referring to Fig. 1, the unit F represents a control register such as Ihave just described, and which is operated by the set up mechanism E inconjunction with a registering register, 'not shown. This controlregister F has two separate 10 functions; first, it is so constructedthat it operates with a downward count movement, thus providing theoperator oi the machine with a visual reading of the remaining amount ofpostage in the register after each printing operation 15 of the machine,whereby there has been subtracted from the last total remaining in theregister the amount of the stamp printed after each respective printingoperation; this register comprises the conventional register wheels and0 pinions except that the driven register wheels which include the firstthree, namely, the cents, tens of cents, and dollars wheels haveinternal ratchets to allow for the carrying over from one drive.

Second, the control register F, operates to lock the machine uponexhaustion of the pro-set amount of postage in the register F. The lastnumeral wheel which registers the highest amount in a set amount,namely, the thousands of dollars wheel M3, which, in Fig. l is locatedat the extreme left of the train of register wheels, has on one of itssides a cam face HM which is designed to contact a trip lever Mil uponthe exhaustion of a pre-set amount of postage within the meter. As bestshown in Fig. 7, the trip we has thereon a pin adapted to be engaged byboss i and a foot i863 which engages beneath the drive bar M6 andretains the latter in a raised position. Upon the contact of the boss 53% with the pin 88! (Figs. 8 and 9), the trip its is moved outwardly,thereby removing the foot lot from beneath the drive bar'MG, and .45,

allowing the drive bar to be pulled down by spring I88 into a positionin which the engaging member M1 will be in the path of the rocker cam M8on shaft i52.

Thus, when the shaft I52 is rocked at the completion of the printingoperation, the cam Md will be brought to the position illustrated inFig. 10, whereby the engaging member I41 will be engaged by the cam i424and it (and the drive bar M6 to which it is fixed) will be moved to theposition indicated by broken lines in Fig. 10 and retained in suchposition until the control register is-re-set.

This longitudinal movement of the drive or control bar I46 will operatecertain locking members, one of which is switch 1150 in the motorcircuit. Upon the opening of this switch the motor circuit is broken andthe electrical operation of the machine is prevented. Switch ISO is ofthe conventional quick-throw type, and is operated through suitableconnections with an extension 6a of bar I46.

An additional simultaneously actuated locking device locks the maindrive shaft I M of the ma- 7O chine. This device comprises a pawl I58pivotally mounted to engage a toothed wheel I58 secured to the driveshaft H4. The pawl is actuated by the sliding link I82, to which it isattached by pin and slot connection 184. The

link 5532 is pivotally connected to rock arm 083, which in turn isconnected to drive bar Edd.

Still another locking element actuated. by the movement oi the drive bar36 is the keyboard lock. The operation oi the keys iii oi the keyboardand their keybars till is efiected through the power-olutches 22 (Fig.4). The ciutohelements arenormally out of engagement and are engagedupon release of rocking arm ill from projecting member 2%, the rocklever 37?, secured to rock shaft 38, riding up on the cam iace of cam3i. Operation of the clutches, and con sequently or the keys, isdependent upon free dom of rotation of the cam (ii of the clutch withthe tooth 25 of latch iii in engagement with toothed wheel 26. Theseclutch elements are released when rocking arm ii is rocked from itsposition shown in Fig. 5 to that shown in Fig. 4. Arm 2?! is rocked toand held in this clutch-release position by pin 62 carried by bell cranklever ill, the upper arm of which is tilted upwardly when levers ill andill are rocked by a clockwise rocking of shaft 3&3 in Fig. 4. Thisrocking of shaft til is effected, through rock arms use and its and linkten by movement of drive bar 0% to its broken line position in Fig. ill,and results in effective locking of the keyboard mechanism by locking ofthe power-clutch elements of that mechanism.

. I Thus is will be seen that upon the exhaustion of the meter 1 thetrip Mill is operated to allow the drive bar ME to drop down into thepath of the cam i 38; thiscam M8 being driven through shaft 852connected to the main drive shaft Mil tothe printer, is actuated uponthe completion of a printing operation to move drive bar M6longitudinally and operate the connected locks and open the switch the.

For the purpose of re-settlng the meter B, there is provided a key lock853 best shown in Fig. l, which operates the reset mechanism of registerF, and also through connecting mechanism at d rotates shait i55 whichhas connected to it lever I156 (Fig. 7) having a projecting end 95?!adapted to lift the drive bar Mid out of engagement with the cam M8 andallow it to return to original position by spring action; this placesthe drive bar within the trip M5, and the re-setting operation of theregister F dis placing the cam face Mt from contact with the trip 5allows the trip M5 to return to its original position, thus holding thedrive bar Mt out of the path of the earn 848.

The action of returning the drive bar M6 to original position releasesthe pawl 658 from contact with the ratchet wheel E59, which is securedto the driven shaft li l, thus releasing this look, and this some actionalso returns the switch Hill into the closed position shown in Fig. 7,thus making the machine normally operative. The return of the drive barand connected parts to their original positions, which they normallyoccupy while the machine is in operative condition (as shown in Fig. 7is aided by springs 885 and "-31.

For the operation of the printing and registering mechanism by anoperator in the simplest form and most convenient manner, I haveprovlded a keyboard on the front portion of the parcel post machinewhich contains ten keys with numeral indications thereon, an error keyfor clearing the machine should a mistake have been made in the settingup of any of the combinations of figures, and a control key convenientlylocated adjacent the other keys for operation of the clutch whichcontrols the printing operation of the machine.

'lhe numbers having been properly set up by means of the keyboard, theprogressive release lock 0 has automatically been operated to a pointwhere it has removed the lock ill from engagement and released theclutch D ready for operation. The operator now depresses the control keyMb, engaging the clutch D, thereby rotating the shaft l M which operatesthe printers and the actuating mechanism E for the registers. At theconclusion of the printing operation, the error rock shaft isautomatically operated through its various connections to clear themachine and also re-set the progressive release lock C into originallocked position, where the entire machine is now ready for the nextsucceeding printing operation.

While the form of mechanism here shown and described, is admirablyadapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understoodthat it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form ofembodiment herein disclosed, for it is susceptible of embodiment invarious forms,

all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

I claim:

l. In a device of the character described, a register, keyboardmechanism comprising a series of keys and key bars, means for actuatingsaid register, operating connections between said key bars and saidmeans, locking means for said keyboard mechanism, a lock-control meansconnected with said locking means, means for operating said lock-controlmeans, latch means for holding said lock-control means with the partsthereof in lock-released position, and means connected with saidregister for engaging and releasing said latch means for operation ofsaid ack-control means by its operating means.

.2. In a device of the character described, a register, keyboardmechanism comprising a series of keys, means for actuating saidregister, operating connections between said keys and said means,locking means for said keyboard mechanism, a slidable control memberconnected with 4 said locking means, lock-operating means for engagingand operating said control member, a

' latch for holding said control member out of the path of saidlock-operating means, and a trip member on said register for engagingand releasing said latch.

3. In a device of the character described, a register, registeractuating mechanism comprising a selector device, keyboard mechanismcomprising a series of keys, means for actuating said selector device toset up values in said register corresponding to the keys depressed,power clutch connections between said keys and said means, locking meansfor said clutches, a slidable control member connected with said lockingmeans, lock-operating means for engaging and operating said controlmember, a latch for holding said control member out of engagement withsaid

